Riley heads west for Odom talks

Heat coach returns from overseas to lure forward

BY ISRAEL GUTIERREZ

igutierrez@herald.com

 

DEAL NOT DONE: Los Angeles Clippers free agent forward Lamar Odom visited and left Miami without an offer sheet, but is still optimistic both parties will agree on a deal.

 

 

It seems no one outside the Heat offices believes the team has any chance of landing restricted free agent Lamar Odom, with the Clippers convincing almost everyone they will match any offer made to him.

 

But Heat coach Pat Riley will return from an overseas trip and fly directly to California today with the intention of wresting Odom from the Clippers. Odom and his agent already made a second trip to Miami on Monday to meet with Heat general manager Randy Pfund.

 

While the Clippers said at the start of free agency they intended to match any offers made to their restricted free agents, they already declined to match Denver's offer to Andre Miller and likely will pass on Odom if the Heat offers a max-type deal, according to one source. Los Angeles already has a combined $125 million invested over the next six years in Elton Brand and Corey Maggette, and Maggette can play two of the same positions -- shooting guard and small forward -- that Odom can play.

 

The Clippers have offered Odom a three-year deal worth $24 million, but a longer deal that averages better than $10 million a year would probably be out of their price range.

 

The Heat, however, has to be willing to offer such a contract.

 

Miami already has Brian Grant and Eddie Jones under contract for maximum dollars until 2007, and adding a third large contract to someone other than a dominant big man is not what Riley had in mind entering the free agent period.

 

And given that Odom's next choice of moves would be to sign a one-year tender with the Clippers that would make him an unrestricted free agent next season, the Heat could be willing to wait until then rather than commit to a long-term deal.

 

But adding Odom would not necessarily mean the Heat would be strapped with three max-type deals.

 

Should the Heat manage to pry Odom from the Clippers, the team would likely look seriously at trading Jones for depth, while seeking players with more friendly contracts. It's an idea Jones, 31, would not be completely opposed to, given his desire to play for a winning team as soon as possible.

 

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Lamar Odom is a good player, but he has had drug problems. i hope this all goes well, neither Riley or the Franchise can take another big FA failure

odom has done nothing in this league to prove that he is worth a max or near max level contract.

I want to know why everyone is so excited to get him.

 

He's a guy you want as your third scorer. He is not meant nor will he ever be a guy who you could be a top two guy and yet you get to the playoffs.

 

The way The Heat are making him out to be, he is the missing link. Big mistake because it's too much damn pressure see Grant.

 

Also he is so much trouble off the court, THe heat are shooting themselves in the leg because he will fail The Drug Test again and he will miss more games. Games where The Heat need to win to make The Playoffs.

When he came into the league he was meant to be an absolute superstar. Riley always thought he would be, and apparently still thinks he can be. Everyone thought Odom was going to be amazing after his first year in the NBA, but then he got Clipperized. I think the Heat can turn him around, but this could easily become a complete disaster.

you dont pay max type money for potential.

I think the heat should wait until he's a free agent to sign him.

you dont pay max type money for potential.

I agree.

I think the heat should wait until he's a free agent to sign him.

um...he is a free agent.

um...he is a free agent.

i think he means unrestricted

You guys might as well sign Odom. Cuz KG and Kobe probably (99.9% chance) won't be in Red and Black in 2 years.

 

He's as good as your gonna get.

 

But he has only been a #2 or #3 guy in LA. So maybe he can be a #1 because he had Brand and some others around him. In Miami he is meant to be #1, but don't pay him #1 money.

 

I'd pay him what hes worth and give him a raise if he does well.

 

But this is a dilemma for you guys, cuz he's about as good as you guys will be able to find. But the real question is now for you guys, pay him #1 money? OR, Pay him what hes worth?

The thing is if we pay him what he's worth, the Clippers might match and then we're stuck with 12 million in cap space which we probably won't use next year either. This is basically a last chance type of thing for Riley.

The thing is if we pay him what he's worth, the Clippers might match and then we're stuck with 12 million in cap space which we probably won't use next year either. This is basically a last chance type of thing for Riley.

whats the point of overpaying for someone? may i bring up the names Eddie Jones and Brian Grant?

When they signed Jones and Grant they weren't paying them to be the #1, #2 guys that was Zo's job. What I'm saying is if they dont do anything now, then we're stuck hoping to lose as much as possible to get a good player in the lottery next year cause we probably aint getting KG or Kobe. Its a miracle somebody actually WANTS to play in miami.

When they signed Jones and Grant they weren't paying them to be the #1, #2 guys that was Zo's job. What I'm saying is if they dont do anything now, then we're stuck hoping to lose as much as possible to get a good player in the lottery next year cause we probably aint getting KG or Kobe. Its a miracle somebody actually WANTS to play in miami.

they gave them max contracts. there was this desperation to get a big name or two after failing to land Tmac. look at what happened because of the desperation. i know Zo getting sick really messed things up, but those inflated contracts really made it worse.

losing sucks, but its better to be patient than throwing cap space away and really screwing things up even more long term

be patient for WHAT????????

dude im saying dont throw your cap space away on someone that can make this an even worse situation. i dont want to be thinking about getting rid of 3 bad contracts instead of 2 in a couple of years. Odom is a good ballplayer, but he's had problems, dont overpay him because your just desperate to get someone.

i think he means unrestricted

yea that what he means , Because if the Clippers sign him to a one year deal he will be a unresticted free agent next year and we dont need to be scared that someone will match the offer

dude im saying dont throw your cap space away on someone that can make this an even worse situation. i dont want to be thinking about getting rid of 3 bad contracts instead of 2 in a couple of years. Odom is a good ballplayer, but he's had problems, dont overpay him because your just desperate to get someone.

But he's also a guy that can turn into a superstar. Riles is gonna take a chance with him because no one wants to take a chance with miami